Many travellers, who have returned to Lucknow from the UK where a more contagious Covid-19 strain has been found, had their mobile phones switched off when health department officials tried to contact them on Thursday for sampling. “We have [now] sent them emails asking them to contact the office of the chief medical officer,” said a health department official.
If they do not contact the health department by Friday, it will seek the help of police to track them down for sampling and monitoring. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has provided copies of the passports of the UK returnees to the local authorities.
Officials said 134 people came to Lucknow between December 9 and 21 from the UK. They are required to undergo testing and have to be kept in isolation as per the Centre’s guidelines.